> A 2026 Annie E. Casey Foundation analysis found that 47 states fared worse on its education index in 2024 than in 2019

AI Overview

The 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation confirmed that education scores declined in 47 out of 50 states between 2019 and 2024

Key Findings on the Education Domain

• Score Drop: The national average for the education domain fell sharply from 518 to 417 on a 0–1,000 index scale.

Driving Factors: Losses were largely driven by pandemic-era learning setbacks, specifically drops in fourth-grade reading proficiency, eighth-grade math proficiency, and preschool participation

Steepest Declines: North Dakota, Maine, Delaware, Iowa, and Oklahoma saw the largest drops in their education scores

Bright Spots: Only Louisiana and Mississippi showed improvements in their education scores during this period.